Living on campus is all about the community experience – connecting with others, finding your place academically, and learning what it means to be a responsible member of a community.
There are many ways to get involved in the residential experience at UMBC: join a Living Learning Community (LLC), visit with a faculty mentor, attend initiatives associated with our residential curriculum, or get involved within their residential community.
Have Fun
There are many ways to connect with and learn from your residential community members, from floor meetings and setting community standards as a community, to creating roommate agreements, and building a relationship with your resident assistant. These opportunities to build relationships help you to learn how to be a responsible member of your community now and in the future once you leave UMBC.
Make Connections
There are many ways to connect with and learn from your residential community members, from floor meetings and setting community standards as a community, to creating roommate agreements, and building a relationship with your resident assistant. These opportunities to build relationships help you to learn how to be a responsible member of your community now and in the future once you leave UMBC.
Retriever Residential Experience
In order to help students get the most out of living on campus, UMBC Residential Life utilizes a residential curriculum which is modeled after the ACPA Institute for the Curricular Approach model to residential education. We call this our “Retriever Residential Experience,” and it is based in restorative practices. Ultimately, our educational priority is that as a result of living in a residential community at UMBC, students will engage as high achieving, responsible members of their current and future communities.
Seek to Understand and Honor Others
We all have different experiences, needs, and hopes for our time at UMBC and the future. These differences create opportunities for learning and for conflict, and we are a community committed to making an effort to see things from others’ points of view and make the most of our relationships. Be a community member who honors other’s identities and experiences.
Foster a Community of Learning
We are a community committed to learning in and out of the classroom. Learning is collaborative. Be the kind of community member who builds relationships, celebrates the success of others, and assists others in their learning. Being a community member means that just as you will benefit by having the help of others when you need something, there will be times when others need you to pitch in.
Create a Just and Supportive Community
We are a community committed to civic responsibility. Be the kind of community member who people can trust to keep individuals and the community safe. Contribute to the development of a healthy community by considering the balance between your rights and responsibilities. Demonstrate integrity. Be the kind of community member who people can count on to fulfill promises and agreements, abide by the rules and expectations of living on campus, help those in need, and hold others accountable for their actions.
Engage in the UMBC Experience
We are a community committed to co-creating our experiences. It is our choice to demonstrate who we are as a person, in addition to our academic abilities. Get involved! Positive contributions strengthen our community and enhance the overall educational experience.